INDUSTRY MOVES:Gail Silva, the longtime director of the Film ArtsFoundation in San Francisco, has been named to the foundation’s newlycreated position of president. Claudia Viek of Claudia Viek Consulting hasbeen hired as interim executive director until a new executive director ishired. Also, Lisa Foster has joined Film Arts as director of development.Foster previously worked at Frameline and the San Francisco InternationalLesbian & Gay Film Festival.

SLAMDANCE SPECIALS: The Slamdance Film Festival has invited two films fromSlamdance alums to bookend the 2004 festival. A world premiere of EugeneMartin’s “The Other America” will kick off the fest on January 17 and KevinDiNovis’ “Death and Texas” will close. The special screenings section atSlamdance will also offer Bill Plympton’s animated feature “Hair High.”

CHRISTMAS CIRCUIT: It’s been a busy few weeks, as usual, on the holidayparty circuit. Early last week, there was a crowded AIVF get-together, aFine Line party with not quite as much food coming around as we’d haveliked, and a Reel Roundtable event at the Cutting Room that we missed.Last Thursday offered a trio of parties: Sundance Channel feted “Melvin Goesto Dinner,” Killer Films hosted its holiday party, and ContentFilm combineda celebration for the release of “The Hebrew Hammer” and general holidaymerriness. Last year’s Content bash is still being lauded as one of the topevents of 2002, and this year’s bash lived up to the hype. Not only was Flowpacked with the who’s who of the indie film world, but people were so drunkthey were actually dancing to a remix of Tiffany’s “I Think We’re AloneNow.” Plus, someone licked BUZZ’s face, which always makes for aninteresting evening. At the Killer party, which provided the perfect warm-upfor Content, champagne and cranberry martinis were flowing and there weretrays upon trays of pigs in a blanket (dear to our white trash hearts). PlusJohn Waters was mingling and Killer honcho Christine Vachon was sportingfestive red plaid pants.

The executive board of the Wisconsin Cheese Council — or was it the team from Falco Ink? — offers some of Hurley’s famed mozzarella sticks at the Falco holiday party on Tuesday night. Photo by Wendy Mitchell/indieWIRE.

Earlier this week, PR firms International House of Publicity and Falco Inkheld parties on Monday and Tuesday (respectively); the indieWIRE crew gotstuck at work too long for the iHop party, but we of course did rush toFalco’s gig at Hurley’s because of the promise of fried cheese. Come tothink of it, there was an array of fried delights — some sort of meatpockets, chicken fingers, and so on. Nothing says happy holidays like a gutfull of fried food and cocktails, right? On Wednesday, United Artists kickedthings up a notch with a swanky reception at Circo (a Le Cirque offshoot,thank you very much), where starving indie filmsters gorged themselves ondelicious pasta and other Italian treats. Meanwhile, First Run held courtdown at famed Greek restaurant Gus’ Place. Thursday night offered the lightat the end of the holiday tunnel — Kodak’s holiday cocktail reception.

MORE PARTY TIME: In addition to all the holiday happenings, there were anumber of film parties also going on this week (no wonder we are exhausted).Monday night Peggy Siegal organized, and Sydney Pollack hosted, a small“Cold Mountain” screening and dinner where none other than Liza Minnellishowed up. Former Texas Governor (and present NYC resident) Ann Richardsexited the intimate screening and went up to Liza and said in her folksydrawl, “Damn, those Yankees were mean” with her signature smile. Liza gave abig laugh. Later at a dinner, John Waters entertained the table with alitany of his classic wit. Director Todd Solondz helped himself to a secondserving of the starter salad, to which Waters chimed, “It’s just like I’meating with Divine.”

Tuesday night there was a screening of Robert Altman’s “The Company” and anoverly crowded after-party at uptown hang Elaine’s. Wednesday, Newmarketcelebrated Patty Jenkins’ breathtaking debut film “Monster” with a screeningand a party at Viscaya, where star Charlize Theron was looking a lot moreglamorous than she does in the film! So a serial killer lesbian prostitutestory doesn’t really sound like a must-see Christmas flick, but trust us,this should be your must-see over the holiday weekend (it opens on Christmaseve in New York followed by other cities in January).

BURNING RUBBER: One of the buzz films at Sundance ’03, Joey Curtis’ streetracing drama “Quattro Noza,” has been picked up. Sobini Films has acquiredthe worldwide rights and will represent the film for distribution. Thecompany will also be producing partners for “Quattro Noza” and will providefinishing funds for post-production work. The film recently received twoSpirit Award nominations for best first feature and best cinematography. “Iloved ‘Quattro Noza’ the first time I saw it, and I knew that with somere-editing, new sound and great music, this innovative film could reallytake off,” said Sobini’s Mark Amin. In other Sobini news, the companyrecently finished production on its first studio feature, Martha Coolidge’s“The Prince and Me” (Paramount/Lions Gate) starring Julia Stiles, LukeMably, and Miranda Richardson.

SUNDANCE GOES TO COURT: Indie film and courtroom drama don’t often mix(except for the recent screener ban brouhaha), but the Sundance Channel hasannounced a new programming partnership with Court TV. The channels willwork together to create “The First Amendment Project,” a series of half-hourfilms about… you guessed it… the first amendment. The four-part serieswill air on both networks in August 2004. In January, the companies willannounce the indie directors that are participating in the project (and alsoboth companies will celebrate the partnership with a bash on January 17 atthe Sundance Film Festival). Also this week, Sundance announced a deal tobroadcast Tanner ’88, the campaign miniseries from Robert Altman and GaryTrudeau.

PALM SPRINGS HONOREES: Aside from weather far warmer than Sundance, the 15thPalm Springs International Film Festival (January 8-19) has plenty of otherhighlights. The fest announced two more honorees this year, composer DannyElfman and “In America” director Jim Sheridan. Elfman will receive theFrederick Loewe award for career achievement in film composing and Sheridanwill get the international filmmaker award at an awards gala on January 11.Kevin Costner, Anthony Minghella, and Richard D. Zanuck will also behonored.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Okay, film geeks (and we use that term lovingly), here’syour chance to shine: in July, IFC is launching a new game show “UltimateFilm Fanatic” to be hosted by Film Threat’s Chris Gore. “If ‘The UltimateFilm Fanatic’ is ‘American Idol’ for movie geeks, I guess that makes me RyanSeacrest for movie maniacs,” quipped Gore in a press release. The ultimatewinner from the show will not only have the admiration of fellow film freakseverywhere, but also will get to program and host a night on IFC. Fordetails, check out IFCTV.com.

PEACEFUL WINNERS: The first Global Peace Film Festival wrapped last weekendin Orlando, and in an inspired move, the fest’s jury decided to award boththe filmmakers and their subjects. The jury awarded $8,000 to be splitbetween director Peter Hegedus and doc subject Balazs Meszaros for“Inheritance: A Fisherman’s Story.” Hegedus also received the $1000 Kodakfilm certificate. Other winners were Rebecca Cerese for “February One: TheStory of the Greensboro Four” and Barbara Hammer for “Resisting Paradise.”

JACKSON HONORED: Mr. “Lord of the Rings” himself Peter Jackson will be therecipient of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s modern masteraward. The award will be presented on January 31 at the Arlington Theatre.The fest’s modern master award has been presented to past recipientsinluding Jodie Foster, Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, and others. One ofJackson’s early horror films, “Dead Alive,” will also screen at the fest.